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Texans Select 3.98 TE Jordan Akins UCF

Number19

Hall of Fame
Was Akins a reach at 3/98? Most think so. McCain gives the selection a D+.

But it is obvious, now, that O’Brien wanted a “receiver” TE more so than a “blocking” TE.

Following the Akins pick, there was a run on TEs in the fourth round, with 5 taken, and 3 more in the fifth. These were, in order:
Ian Thomas
Chris Herndon
Will Dissly
Durham Smythe
Dalton Schultz
Troy Fumagalli
Tyler Conkin
Jaylen Samuels

Do any of these grade higher as a receiver than Akins? OB and coaching staff had a week at the Senior Bowl to evaluate him; and wanted him over the eight taken following his selection. TE was a priority and from the TEs available, Akins was the one we wanted and no one can say he would have been available in the 6th. Although it seemed so at the time, this pick was not a reach.
 

beerlover

Hall of Fame
You have to really drill down then combine both TE picks to make most sense out of Texans choice. Factor in Senior Bowl where they must have loved coaching him (erased my copy of game). Between Akins and Jordan expect O’Brian to employ two TE sets, meaning both will develop into starters based off each skill set they bring to the table. Net is one full time starter 3rd rd. pick in Akins and situational and special teams contributing player out of 6th rd. in Jordan. With most teams, already rostering starter material doubt this would be case but Texans we’re starved for TE talent and in doing so both service need.

Hated Akins pick at the time, which is why waited a day to post, but now with Jordan it does make sense, both together, give Texans a B for addressing need with later round picks.

Ian Thomas was more logical plug and play prospect, but it would be more difficult for him to be the complete TE Texans where looking for than identifying one as pass catching specialist and another as in line blocker.
 

TheRealJoker

Hall of Fame
You have to really drill down then combine both TE picks to make most sense out of Texans choice. Factor in Senior Bowl where they must have loved coaching him (erased my copy of game). Between Akins and Jordan expect O’Brian to employ two TE sets, meaning both will develop into starters based off each skill set they bring to the table. Net is one full time starter 3rd rd. pick in Akins and situational and special teams contributing player out of 6th rd. in Jordan. With most teams, already rostering starter material doubt this would be case but Texans we’re starved for TE talent and in doing so both service need.

Hated Akins pick at the time, which is why waited a day to post, but now with Jordan it does make sense, both together, give Texans a B for addressing need with later round picks.

Ian Thomas was more logical plug and play prospect, but it would be more difficult for him to be the complete TE Texans where looking for than identifying one as pass catching specialist and another as in line blocker.
Senior Bowl game is on youtube if interested in a rewatch:

 

mussop

Hall of Fame
You have to really drill down then combine both TE picks to make most sense out of Texans choice. Factor in Senior Bowl where they must have loved coaching him (erased my copy of game). Between Akins and Jordan expect O’Brian to employ two TE sets, meaning both will develop into starters based off each skill set they bring to the table. Net is one full time starter 3rd rd. pick in Akins and situational and special teams contributing player out of 6th rd. in Jordan. With most teams, already rostering starter material doubt this would be case but Texans we’re starved for TE talent and in doing so both service need.

Hated Akins pick at the time, which is why waited a day to post, but now with Jordan it does make sense, both together, give Texans a B for addressing need with later round picks.

Ian Thomas was more logical plug and play prospect, but it would be more difficult for him to be the complete TE Texans where looking for than identifying one as pass catching specialist and another as in line blocker.
Ian Thomas is highly underrated as a receiver. Should of been the pick.
 
Athlon sports ranks 13 te's. Akins is not among them. Pf weekly has no draftable grade on him.
At this point it seems we reached big time on this guy but then again we may one day look back on this as one of the best decisions our coach and staff ever made. We are free as of now to discuss our disappointment over where in the draft we chose him or that we even drafted him in the first place. I say we look back on this decision as a good if not great one.
 
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This reminds of the Dorin Dickerson pick, except in the third round.
Interesting comparison. I don't really see it , to be honest. Dickerson was 225 and a freak of nature. 43.5 inch vertical, 4.4, 34 inch arms, and 24 reps on the bench with those long arms.

Akins is 6'3, 250, runs anywhere from a 4.6 to a 4.7 (estimation), and has 33 inch arms. Didn't test at the Combine.

Dickerson had 11 receptions for 151 yards in his 3 years in the league. (None with the Texans)

Based on age, depth at his position, and the ability of our offense, I could see Akins breaking that by season's end.

OB made this selection, (Some thought Gaine made this pick but the quotes of the post 2nd night draft were actually misquoted) and since he coached him, I expect he knows what he's getting himself into.

Rookie age of 26, to make this pick worth the selection he will need to be putting up starter numbers by his sophomore season. (Anywhere from 500 to 700 yards in a season)
 

TheRealJoker

Hall of Fame
The more I watch Akins the more I like him. I feel like had he not injured his hamstring and ran a 40 nobody would be complaining about where he was picked. He did bench press at his pro day. 24 reps which would have been the most reps of any TE at the combine.

And with an injured hamstring did the vertical jump 35" (good for 4th of combine performers)

10'2" broad jump (3rd of combine performers)

His 3 cone of 7.29 was outside the top 10 of combine performers ranking 11th but again he was not 100% due to the hamstring...

He is one of the most developed route runners amongst the TEs in this class and a true seam stretcher which is something I don't think this team has ever actually had at TE. The blocking clips i've seen show promise. He has the right attitude for it and does a good job delivering a strong punch and mirroring his opponent. He just wasn't asked to block much and needs reps on that front to know his assignment, take proper angles, etc.

I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised by this player.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
The more I watch Akins the more I like him. I feel like had he not injured his hamstring and ran a 40 nobody would be complaining about where he was picked. He did bench press at his pro day. 24 reps which would have been the most reps of any TE at the combine.

And with an injured hamstring did the vertical jump 35" (good for 4th of combine performers)

10'2" broad jump (3rd of combine performers)

His 3 cone of 7.29 was outside the top 10 of combine performers ranking 11th but again he was not 100% due to the hamstring...

He is one of the most developed route runners amongst the TEs in this class and a true seam stretcher which is something I don't think this team has ever actually had at TE. The blocking clips i've seen show promise. He has the right attitude for it and does a good job delivering a strong punch and mirroring his opponent. He just wasn't asked to block much and needs reps on that front to know his assignment, take proper angles, etc.

I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised by this player.
Folks need to remember OD was only an avg blocker and Akins has the ability to become as good a blocker as OD. If he doesn't become as good as OD blocking then that will fall on the coaching staff.
 

OptimisticTexan

2024 / Rebuilding Block 4 After Playoffs / Texans
The more I watch Akins the more I like him. I feel like had he not injured his hamstring and ran a 40 nobody would be complaining about where he was picked. He did bench press at his pro day. 24 reps which would have been the most reps of any TE at the combine.

And with an injured hamstring did the vertical jump 35" (good for 4th of combine performers)

10'2" broad jump (3rd of combine performers)

His 3 cone of 7.29 was outside the top 10 of combine performers ranking 11th but again he was not 100% due to the hamstring...

He is one of the most developed route runners amongst the TEs in this class and a true seam stretcher which is something I don't think this team has ever actually had at TE. The blocking clips i've seen show promise. He has the right attitude for it and does a good job delivering a strong punch and mirroring his opponent. He just wasn't asked to block much and needs reps on that front to know his assignment, take proper angles, etc.

I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised by this player.
Thanks for the update...could be a big feather in the Gaine / O'Brien Year 1 beginning.
 

CloakNNNdagger

Hall of Fame
The more I watch Akins the more I like him. I feel like had he not injured his hamstring and ran a 40 nobody would be complaining about where he was picked. He did bench press at his pro day. 24 reps which would have been the most reps of any TE at the combine.

And with an injured hamstring did the vertical jump 35" (good for 4th of combine performers)

10'2" broad jump (3rd of combine performers)

His 3 cone of 7.29 was outside the top 10 of combine performers ranking 11th but again he was not 100% due to the hamstring...

He is one of the most developed route runners amongst the TEs in this class and a true seam stretcher which is something I don't think this team has ever actually had at TE. The blocking clips i've seen show promise. He has the right attitude for it and does a good job delivering a strong punch and mirroring his opponent. He just wasn't asked to block much and needs reps on that front to know his assignment, take proper angles, etc.

I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised by this player.
I like Akins, and I agree with your overall assessment of his potential. But I must comment on the hamstring. The most common mechanism by which a player tears his hamstring is during sprinting/running............jumping is a far 2nd. That is the reason Akins did not participate in the 40 during either the Combine or his Pro Day.

As I posted last month:



I'll feel better if he can make it through TC without r-einjuring his hamstring.
 
The more I watch Akins the more I like him. I feel like had he not injured his hamstring and ran a 40 nobody would be complaining about where he was picked. He did bench press at his pro day. 24 reps which would have been the most reps of any TE at the combine.

And with an injured hamstring did the vertical jump 35" (good for 4th of combine performers)

10'2" broad jump (3rd of combine performers)

His 3 cone of 7.29 was outside the top 10 of combine performers ranking 11th but again he was not 100% due to the hamstring...

He is one of the most developed route runners amongst the TEs in this class and a true seam stretcher which is something I don't think this team has ever actually had at TE. The blocking clips i've seen show promise. He has the right attitude for it and does a good job delivering a strong punch and mirroring his opponent. He just wasn't asked to block much and needs reps on that front to know his assignment, take proper angles, etc.

I think everyone is going to be pleasantly surprised by this player.
Agreed.

At first, I was like..the 26 year old out of UCF? Before jumping to conclusions, I looked for whatever clips I could find of him and came away excited. Watched him and Ian Thomas and liked him A LOT more. Only advantage Thomas had was age. Some of the things Akins can do, Thomas might never be able to.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
I like Akins, and I agree with your overall assessment of his potential. But I must comment on the hamstring. The most common mechanism by which a player tears his hamstring is during sprinting/running............jumping is a far 2nd. That is the reason Akins did not participate in the 40 during either the Combine or his Pro Day.

As I posted last month:
What is it 8-10 weeks between the combine and rookie mini camp? That should give him plenty of time to get the hamstring healthy?

If not then they should let him sit out until OTA's.
 

JWLCASPER

Waterboy
Just something I was reviewing when looking how BOb may envision using Akins. At Clemson, Jordan Leggett, as a junior, caught 40 passes for 525 yards and eight touchdowns. Leggett had 46 receptions for 736 yards (16.0 per) and scored seven times in Clemson's 2016 national championship season. In the national title game Leggett had 7 catches for 95 yards. Akins does not have Leggett’s 6’6 frame, however his body control is spectacular and his route tree is similar to what Clemson asked Leggett to run. Leggett was known as the “seam buster” for Clemson. Akins is tabbed to be our “seam buster”. You can’t play 2 high safeties with a seambuster TE. You can’t play 1 high safety with Hopkins and Fuller outside (and healthy). This is in theory of course.
 
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Max

Veteran
Just something I was reviewing when looking how BOb May envision using Akins. At Clemson, Jordan Leggett, as a junior, caught 40 passes for 525 yards and eight touchdowns. Leggett had 46 receptions for 736 yards (16.0 per) and scored seven times in Clemson's 2016 national championship season. In the national title game Leggett had 7 catches for 95 yards. Akins does not have Leggett’s 6’6 frame, however his body control is spectacular and his route tree is similar to what Clemson asked Leggett to run. Leggett was known as the “seam buster” for Clemson. Akins is tabbed to be our “seam buster”. You can’t play 2 high safeties with a seambuster TE. You can’t play 1 high safety with Hopkins and Fuller outside (and healthy). This is in theory of course.
It's just nice to be able to enjoy prognosticating where prospects might fit knowing that our offense can be really good. It's a good time to be a Texans fan.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
If the OL can keep Watson healthy
Watson will have to keep himself healthy. Not just the Oline. Please stop putting all of that on just the darn line.

Some injuries, just like the one Watson sustained last season are fluke accidents. A defender landed at his feet. Dude was blocked well.

That injury is not and should not be put on the line.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Watson will have to keep himself healthy. Not just the Oline. Please stop putting all of that on just the darn line.

Some injuries, just like the one Watson sustained last season are fluke accidents. A defender landed at his feet. Dude was blocked well.

That injury is not and should not be put on the line.
The more hits you take the greater chance of injury. Tell me more about the sacks allowed and the running game .
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
The more hits you take the greater chance of injury. Tell me more about the sacks allowed and the running game .
Well call up Bill and tell him to cut out the design runs for Watsons. And dude you're acting as if he was getting sacked 15 times a game. Did you even watch the freaking games?

Watson was sacked 19 times, six in which was on week 1 against the Jaguars. Since that game he was sacked 2 per game. That is not that bad.

Now every freaking QB that logs playing time will get hit a lot. There is no mitigation plan set in place to prevent that Steel.

Carson Wentz was the most hit out all the QBS last season. Mainly because he was the Eagles leading rusher.


Tom Brady early on was the most sacked. It was predicted he would be sacked 56 times but the o line got better and Tom got the ball out extremely quick.
 

steelbtexan

King of the W. B. Club
Contributor's Club
Well call up Bill and tell him to cut out the design runs for Watsons. And dude you're acting as if he was getting sacked 15 times a game. Did you even watch the freaking games?

Watson was sacked 19 times, six in which was on week 1 against the Jaguars. Since that game he was sacked 2 per game. That is not that bad.

Now every freaking QB that logs playing time will get hit a lot. There is no mitigation plan set in place to prevent that Steel.

Carson Wentz was the most hit out all the QBS last season. Mainly because he was the Eagles leading rusher.


Tom Brady early on was the most sacked. It was predicted he would be sacked 56 times but the o line got better and Tom got the ball out extremely quick.
I'm glad you're okay with the number of hits Watson took. I'm not , and I feel this way because I watched the games

Notice how Wentz got hurt . There's a direct correlation between qb hits and qb injuries.

I'm moving on. I've got much more important things going on in the next hour than to be f'n around with you.
 

Texansballer74

The Marine
I'm glad you're okay with the number of hits Watson took. I'm not , and I feel this way because I watched the games

Notice how Wentz got hurt . There's a direct correlation between qb hits and qb injuries.

I'm moving on. I've got much more important things going on in the next hour than to be f'n around with you.
Again go tell the coach your concerns and then get back at with what he said.

Again every damn quarterback takes a beating out there. You can not prevent that period. In this business you have to take the good with the bad .

The only game Watson got touched up a lot, was in his first start. Other than that he didn't get roughed up as much. Watson elusiveness, quick decisions, quick trigger and smart decisions (knowing when to get down or get out of bounds). Will prolong his career just like Russell Wilson.

Aaron Rodgers has played with a stinky line for quite some time. He has taken a pounding. Last season was the only time he got injured.

Need I go on.
 

Carr Bombed

Hall of Fame
I'm starting to come around to thinking Akins might be my favorite pick of the Texans draft
My favorite pick is Justin Reid..simply because he could've been a first, early 2nd and we got him in the 3rd...that helped relief some of the stress from not having a 1st or 2nd and safety was also a huge need.

But the pick that I'm most excited about is KeKe Coutee. It's rare to find a true deep weapon from the slot position, He can be a huge weapon this year. I'm also excited that he'll be under the wing of fellow Red Raider Wes Welker, who was one of the best to ever do it...He couldn't ask for a better person to learn from. Coutee is a true homerun hitter.
 
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michaelm

vox nihili
My favorite pick is Justin Reid..simply because he could've been a first, early 2nd and we got him in the 3rd...that helped relief some of the stress from not having a 1st or 2nd and safety was also a huge need.

But the pick that I'm most excited about is KeKe Coutee. It's rare to find a true deep weapon from the slot position, He can be a huge weapon this year. I'm also excited that he'll also be under the wing of fellow Red Raider Wes Welker, who was one of the best to ever do it...He couldn't ask for a better person to learn from. Coutee is a true homerun hitter.
I don't disagree with you on either player but I'm looking at Akins athleticism and thinking of the mismatches he can create vs LB or Safety.
I feel like he's going to present much more of a mismatch vs LBs, so in many cases he's going to demand safety attention which is going to open up a lot of opportunities for all of the receivers.
I feel like he might be very instrumental in this scheme.
 
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